Dimensional Reality: Oz (Chapter 8)

  Dorothy stared at the brand making its way toward her tender skin.  It was so close now that she could feel the heat emanating from it.  It was close enough that she could start to make out the two letters on it.  The first letter looked like an “O” but she couldn’t tell if the second was an “S” or a “Z”.  Suddenly she saw a blur of movement and felt a current of air so close to her that it took her breath away.  She looked back at the leader to see the brand no longer in his hand.  He stood with empty hand looking scared, angry, and confused all at the same time.  She looked farther away toward where many of the munckins were pointing fearfully.  There was the brand against the wall of a nearby broken down house.  the brand was held there by an arrow with a grey, silver wooden shaft and white feathers.  She looked back toward the munckins.  They were standing in a close group, there was a mixture of scared yelpings and angry mutterings.  Finally the leader raised a crude battle ax and gestured toward the nearby forest.  He began moving toward the forest with a group of munckins carrying crude axes and clubs.  There was another blur of movement and a dull thud.  The group broke and ran back to the safety of the crowd.  The leader staggered around to face them.  There was another white feathered shaft between the leader’s eyes.  He gave a bubbling gurgle and pitched forward on his face.  Then there was the ring of steel and a flash of metal from the forest.  A cloaked and hooded figure emerged from the forest with a gleaming sword.  There was shouting and crying from many of the munckins, but she couldn’t make out what they were saying.  The munckins stood their ground a few moments then broke and ran.  The person approached her and scanned the area, then sheathed their sword and pulled out a knife.  Dorothy found the person under the cloak to be male when she heard his voice.

  “They’re gone for now, but not for long.  Let’s get out of here.”

  He cut her bonds and supported her gently as she tried to stand.  But as soon as she was unright a wave of nausea overtook her.  She stumbled over to one of the broken flowerbeds and was promptly sick.  After a few moments she was able to get control of her stomach.  She could feel the man holding her hair away from her face as he gently supported her.  His hands felt cool on her fevered skin.  Her vision still blurred in and out of focus.  She slowly tried to stand and felt so weak.  She had the vague thought that she hoped she didn’t fall into the flowerbed she was sick in before her knees gave under her.  But the man was there, he gently picked her up and began walking out of the broken city.  The last thing she heard was the sound of a bird singing and was thinking of how beautiful the song was when she passed out.